Residents' Association Forum

General => General Discussion => Topic started by: Deborah on August 25, 2013, 05:56:10 PM

Thought I would share with you a poem written by Theodore Hook in 1834:-

"When sultry suns and dusty streetsproclaim town's winter season, and rural scenes and cool retreatssound something like high treason-I steal away to shades serene, which yet no bard has hit on, and change the bustling, heartless scenefor quietude and DITTON.

Here lawyers free from legal toils,and peers, released from duty, enjoy at once kind natures smiles, and eke the smiles of beauty:Beauty with talent brightly graced, whose name must not be written, the idol of the fane, is placedwithin the shades of DITTON.

Let lofty mansions great men keep-I have no wish to rob 'em-Not courtly Claremont, Esher's steep,nor Squire Combe's at Cobham.Sir Hobhouse has a mansion rare,a large red house at Whitton,but cam with Thames I can't compare,Nor Whitton class with DITTON.

I'd rather live, like General Moore,in one of the pavilionswhich stand upon the other shore,than be the king of millions;for though no subjects might ariseto exercise my wit on,from morn till night I'd feast my eyesby gazing sweet at DITTON

The mighty queen whom Cydnus bore,in gold and purple floated,but happier I, when near this shore,although more humbly boated.Give me a punt, a rod, a line,a snug arm-chair to sit on,some well iced punch, and weather fine,and let me fish at DITTON.

The view from Church Walk- or, an Elegy on a commuter village, by Rudyard Gray...Now fades the gentle clatter of the trainDeparting for the end at Hampton CourtHeads down, through soft slight spattering of rainThey come, some weighted down with the day's thoughtAnd others on the phone to their dear wivesAt home, where they resume their personal lives.

But as they leave their world of office cares,Of sobering appraisals from some boss,Or worrying about the price of sharesOr how their finances stand at a loss,Or underpayment on their income tax,They sense the village calmness, and relax.

Thames Ditton! Haven of the well-to-do(But not too flash, as with the wealth of Esher).The home of lively individuals, whoEnjoy the quirky aspects of life's pleasure.They treasure what is good. Not all for profitFor other riches of this life they love it.

If you seek gold, and mind not others' harmIf all you care about is your net worthIf you would rather build on some green farmIf you would speculate in glut or dearthThen go elsewhere, and drink, and ruin your liver.We'll stay at our sweet home here by the river.

Now I look again at Hook's well-known poem, we can perhaps extract as historical factoid that the Swan served Meux (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meux%27s_Brewery)ales in 1834, although I strongly suspect that Hook added "Tritton" simply to rhyme with "Ditton". The only plausible period trace I can find of Tritton in a quick search is here: http://www.staple-online.co.uk/page10.html

The view from Church Walk- or, an Elegy on a commuter village, by Rudyard Gray...Now soft the gentle clatter of the trainDeparting for the end at Hampton CourtHeads down, through some slight spattering of rainThey come, some weighted down with the day's thoughtAnd others on the phone to their dear wivesAt home, where they resume their personal lives.

But as they leave their world of office cares,Of sobering appraisals from some boss,Or worrying about the price of sharesOr how their finances stand at a loss,Or underpayment on their income tax,They sense the village calmness, and relax.

Thames Ditton! Haven of the well-to-do(But not too flash, as with the wealth of Esher).The home of lively individuals, whoEnjoy the quirky aspects of life's pleasure.They treasure what is good. Not all for profitFor other riches of this life they love it.

If you seek gold, and mind not others' harmIf all you care about is your net worthIf you would rather build on some green farmIf you would speculate in glut or dearthThen go elsewhere, and drink, and ruin your liver.We'll stay at our sweet home here by the river.

Keith that poem is worth a few pints at the Swan! Fantastic! I am very impressed ! Just made my lunch hour!

Its the Colets nursary 'mens' night out tomorrow... apparantly last time they drank the bar dry... I think steer clear that night but another?

Quote from: Keith on August 28, 2013, 10:08:51 AM

Quote from: Juninho on August 26, 2013, 05:36:13 PM

Very nice!

Now I am hoping Keith can come up with something similar!

Hum. Thinks for five minutes. How about:

The view from Church Walk- or, an Elegy on a commuter village, by Rudyard Gray...Now fades the gentle clatter of the trainDeparting for the end at Hampton CourtHeads down, through soft slight spattering of rainThey come, some weighted down with the day's thoughtAnd others on the phone to their dear wivesAt home, where they resume their personal lives.

But as they leave their world of office cares,Of sobering appraisals from some boss,Or worrying about the price of sharesOr how their finances stand at a loss,Or underpayment on their income tax,They sense the village calmness, and relax.

Thames Ditton! Haven of the well-to-do(But not too flash, as with the wealth of Esher).The home of lively individuals, whoEnjoy the quirky aspects of life's pleasure.They treasure what is good. Not all for profitFor other riches of this life they love it.

If you seek gold, and mind not others' harmIf all you care about is your net worthIf you would rather build on some green farmIf you would speculate in glut or dearthThen go elsewhere, and drink, and ruin your liver.We'll stay at our sweet home here by the river.